Community Chat, October 20th @ 1:00 pm PT - General Topics

[velvet@ebay]

Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us for the Weekly Chat with eBay Staff. We don't have a specific topic this week, so feel free to share any general buying or selling questions you may have.

The chat thread will remain open until 2 PM PT at which point we'll close it from additional responses. After that time, we'll continue to work on responding to any queries that might still be unanswered.

To post your question, click Reply in the lower right corner of this post, type your question, and hit submit between 1-2 PM Pacific Time. The format of our chat mirrors the format of our Community Discussion Boards, where each post will appear in the thread chronologically. The Community Team will review each question as it comes in, and will quote the original question in our reply. This quote and the reply will appear later in the thread, so just keep scrolling down to see our answers.

Missed the chat? Send your questions to the podcast by calling  888-723-4630 or email us at podcast@ebay.com and maybe your questions will make it on the air! Or listen to past episodes while you wait for next Wednesday!

[velvet@ebay]

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@krys888 wrote:

Lumping collectible dolls and doll clothes into “Dolls & Play Sets” is like lumping everything that has wheels together — from luxury automobiles to wheel barrels to roller skates. Did ebay involve any doll collectors, doll buyers, and/or doll sellers when making the decision to change our categories and Item Specifics? And why are the item specifics getting auto filled with nonsense in my existing listings? Will we be responsible for SNADs if a buyer buys an item expecting it be the way ebay auto-fills item specifics without our knowledge? Example, suddenly a collectible doll I have listed in a red dress has in the ebay auto-filled IS that she has red eyes rather than a red dress. Another has dolls eyes as gold, even though her dress is gold. Also, under “Includes” item specifics, ebay randomly grabs an item from the lot listed and puts that in there. Example, I have a listing that includes doll, clothes, accessories, box, and stand, but ebay auto-fills the “includes” IS with only “shoes.” Really? Do I need to go through every single one of my listings and check to see what goofy stuff ebay is auto-filling into my Item Specifics? This is a real nightmare.

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Hi @krys888! Category changes of this magnitude are never easy. We do our best to use/get the existing info to the right category and item specifics, but like any category change, it's now going to be best to edit listings as necessary. We have an ongoing thread here where updates have been posted to a few times. I also know it's being watched, so please feel free to share feedback there as well. 

[partsaholic]

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velvet@ebay wrote:

1. Does Not Fit is a remorse reason. So unless a seller offer Free Returns, then the buyer should have to pay return shipping. If the seller doesn't offer a return policy at all, then they would be able to deny the Return request. 

2. GSP transactions follow normal Money Back Guarantee procedures. The difference is that eBay would cover the refund if an item arrived damaged. If it's not as described for another reason, like the wrong color was received, then the seller would be responsible for covering return shipping. If you go here and Control "F" Global then you'll see where it's discussed a few times throughout the help page. 

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velvet@ebay  what happens if it's a buyer's remorse return through Global Shipping?  Who pays return shipping then?

I know this is more of an account-specific question, but hypothetically speaking - we offer buyer-paid 30 day returns on domestic purchases and no international shipping option except GSP.  The buyer opens a remorse return on a GSP purchase.  We can deny the request, we can accept the request.  If we deny the request, my fear is that eBay will not honor that decision and the buyer can escalate it to a claim (because we offer domestic returns).  If we accept the return, my fear is that eBay will force us to pay return shipping because it's a GSP purchase and there is no information about remorse return shipping on GSP transactions.  eBay phone CS is clueless with GSP, I contacted the social team a few days ago via FB and they have not responded.

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velvet@ebay wrote:

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3. The changes were finalized yesterday and you can refer to the updated posted here for more on that. At this point though, like past category changes, it's now going to be best to edit listings as necessary. I know it's not ideal but hopefully things like return policies can be added back-in using the bulk listing/editing options within the Seller Hub. 

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velvet@ebay I read the update and have no problem editing existing listings.  But there are many new categories in Parts & Accessories that do not accept return policies right now (mostly the new "Other..." categories). 

Take a look at the eBay Technical Issues forum here, there are many sellers talking about it.

An example is 9887 - Other Interior Parts & Accessories  .  The API spits out this error: "Return policy is not supported for this category."  If you go through the Sell Your Item form, the returns section is completely missing.

There are many others. 9886,

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[xvoodoomanx]

Since these lastest changes, eBay Standard Envelope is no longer a Delivery Option when listing Postcards.

When will this be fixed?

Thank you,

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[spinach-eater]

Here, ebay, I'll make it easy for you.  I VOLUNTEER TO BE A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON POSTCARDS.     I've been selling postcards for 23 years, I currently have over 30,000 postcards on ebay, another 55,000 in antique malls, and another 500,000 in my house.  I've vended at live postcard shows.  I'm active in local postcard club meetings.   I've been interviewed by numerous youtube channels about buying & selling postcards.  I've literally handled 10's of millions of postcards.    EBAY, PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT POSTCARDS.  

[lloydsteventaylor]

Is there a list of required item specifics as of Feb 2022?

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[krys888]

So, is this your way of saying that you’re going forward with it on this new track? I’ll check the link you sent and since you do look at it, I will pull together, when I have time (which is getting thin with all your new changes during the busiest time of the year), and post the very long list of issues with “Dolls & Play Sets” as a collectible category on your “cute little web site” (the equivalent of calling collectible dolls and their ancillary treasures as “play sets”). I will also alert other doll sellers and buyers to the link for feedback as well. Thank you.

[velvet@ebay]

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@clarkphilatelics wrote:

Is eBay working on integrating translated listings on foreign sites in a manner compatible with the eBay API used by third party sellers to support US or English language eBay sites? Could translated auctions be supported? Could translated listings share the same listing ID on multiple eBay sites?

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Typically listings are site specific as to language. These are good suggestions though @clarkphilatelics, and you can also share them here.

[egnatz1]

They have no idea been to 100's of postcard shows as I'm sure you have. Have sold thousands upon thousands through the years as you have. In my 20+ years of buying and selling and collecting not once have I seen postcards categories of topographical and non topographical .

[star.fighter]

Hi Jasmen - thank you for that info... so, when doing the return, if the item is a trading card that has damage, which category is more appropriate when returning if returns were Not offered...

Doesn't work or defective

Doesn't match description or photos

Do either of those count more or less against the seller?  The card is damaged, so it is defective... but it also doesn't match description -- which said it was in Mint condition.  The damage didn't show up in the photos, but the photos were not as good as they should have been.  That is why it's unclear if the damage was already there or done by the post office.  Yet, the item may not have been totally mint anyway.

So, the buyer will have to choose one of those -- any guidance?

Thank you.

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Edit: A reply to your question can be found here. 

[nuclearomen]

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@star.fighter wrote:

Doesn't work or defective

Doesn't match description or photos

Do either of those count more or less against the seller?

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Both those reasons gives sellers neg mark on performance and matrix

[velvet@ebay]

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@pennpicker wrote:

Hi.  The Art category continues to lack any item specifics capable of sorting listings by date of creation since the recent update.  Do you know if this problem be addressed in the near future?  

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Hi @pennpicker! I just tried creating a listing in the Art category and I see an item specific for Year of production. Hopefully that will work for the date of creation? If you're referring to the search functionality, I know improvements are coming. 

[somanypostcards]

I have some questions about SDSupport.

1.  Is it possible to use eBay messages to contact them by email at SDSupport@eBay.com 

2.  When I use Google Gmail to contact them, they provide me with a response giving a link to the Structured Data Support number for my topic.  However this link example https://jirap.corp.ebay.com/browse/SDS-49693 fails with a message "This site can't be reached."  When I click on the i in front of the URL it tells me "Your connection to this site is not secure."  Even though I follow Google advice to change my Settings to accept this insecure address, the links fail.  How do I view the Structured Data Support topics?

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Edit: A reply to your response can be found here. 

[savannah3]

Thank you!

[creativecrisis]

velvet@ebaywrote:

Category changes of this magnitude are never easy. We do our best to use/get the existing info to the right category and item specifics, but like any category change, it's now going to be best to edit listings as necessary. We have an ongoing thread here where updates have been posted to a few times. I also know it's being watched, so please feel free to share feedback there as well. 

How can I say this respectfully? If that board is being "watched," I'm curious about your definition of that word. Updates have been few and far between.  There were no updates between 10/14 and 10/19; during that time, problems in the affected categories continued and there was a dearth of information. The community team was repeatedly paged to the board to answer questions and provide clarity. I saw no response from eBay. Why? And why invite sellers to share feedback when there's no effort to respond to it?

[kilyana78]

I absolutely agree! @spinach-eater is an authority on postcards not only in the USA, but also in many other countries. I have been collecting postcards for 20 years, holding exhibitions in local and national museums, and nevertheless I learned a lot about postcards from him!

P.S. John, thank you very much for your videos! We miss your channel.